


Rose Tinted Binoculars (and other conclusions that are jumped to)

by hopefilledlies



Series: Superpowered Dumbasses - Powers AU [1]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Assumed Relationship, Assumptions, Awkward Dates, Double Date but also not, Eavesdropping, Fluff and Humor, Human Kiibo, M/M, Protective Siblings, Secret Identity, Spying, also they’re both dumbasses, look - Freeform, technically, they share one brain cell and neither are using it, you will have to tear familial saiibo from my cold dead hands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-09 21:11:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18925099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopefilledlies/pseuds/hopefilledlies
Summary: Shuichi had reached a conclusion and he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he didn’t do something about it.“Hey, Kaito? I was thinking about...following Kiibo on his date today?”“Oh, I’ve got you, dude. What time?”





	Rose Tinted Binoculars (and other conclusions that are jumped to)

So maybe Shuichi was overreacting a tiny bit.

This was his brother he was talking about! The one he had promised himself he’d protect since the beginning, even if he wasn’t exactly the most intimidating obstacle a bully could face.

And sure, he hadn’t directly been told that he was going on a date, and maybe he should have directly asked instead of deducing it from context clues, but he was a detective for crying out loud, what did anyone expect?

And maybe, _maybe_ , he shouldn’t have decided to follow his brother on said date to make sure he would be okay.

But he really just wanted Kiibo to be safe! What if this person he was meeting here had set him up, or got creepy, or wasn’t a good match? And besides, he had already gotten Kaito involved!

(Or rather, Kaito had encouraged Shuichi’s small idea of spying on Kiibo’s date and volunteered to go with him for moral support, but that was technically still Shuichi getting him involved.)

Which was why he was seated at the outdoor table of a local café, idly fidgeting with the salt and pepper shakers, readjusting them as he crossed his ankles under his chair. Kaito watched him do so, lounging casually in his chair beside Shuichi, idly moulding wisps of light between his fingers. Shuichi was inclined to believe he wasn’t actually aware of what he was doing.

Shuichi knew Kiibo was planning to come to this café because it was one of the only things regarding this conspiracy that he had been told directly. Vaguely, of course: _“You’ve been to the café near the cinema, right? I was thinking it might be a nice place for meet ups.”_

He knew it was today because Kiibo had told him he was meeting up with a ‘friend’ today.

The detective would have paused to consider if Kiibo had lied, but if he had to pour all his confidence into one statement, if would be that he was certain Kiibo would never lie. In fact, he seemed so awkward with the idea of lying, Shuichi was almost worried that he had a physical inability.

He was pulled out of his thoughts and mindless clinking of the salt and pepper shakers when Kaito suddenly startled, grinning as he shifted in his seat, leaning forward. “Bro! Is that Keebs?”

Shuichi blinked, following Kaito’s gaze before finding where it landed. Approaching the café was two figures. The barely taller of the two had white hair and, more importantly, a prominent lock of hair standing against gravity.

He smiled, nodding in confirmation. “That’s him. And I guess the person he’s with is his date.” He leaned forward just slightly, scrutinising the shorter’s appearance as the two took a seat at a far table.

“No dice?” Kaito asked sympathetically, leaning against his elbow and propping his head up with his knuckles as Shuichi tried to assign a name to a face. The two had briefly discussed the possibility of Kiibo’s date being familiar to them.

Unfortunately, Shuichi couldn’t, and sighed. “No dice.”

Kaito had been friends with Shuichi for years now. (Both of them had differing opinions as to where they first met. That, of course, was a whole other story in itself.) Because of this simple fact, the aspiring astronaut could recognise the small worried creases between his eyebrows.

“Hey, I’m sure this guy’s harmless! Kiibo doesn’t seem like the type to just accept a date from anyone, right?” Kaito pointed out with a smile, nudging Shuichi lightly and hoping it would help him cheer up.

The other returned the smile, not as bright but making up for that fact in softness. “Right. I trust Kiibo’s ability to protect himself!”

Still, a tiny voice in the back of his mind reminded him that Kiibo was also the polite type, which meant whether he’d accept an invitation or not was up in the air.

_

Kokichi groaned as they crossed the quiet road, trailing after Kiibo. “C’mon, I was joking when I said they were on a date. We don’t have to supervise!”

“But you raised a good point! Shuichi never mentioned anything, but he and Kaito have always been close. Do you think he doesn’t trust me enough to tell me?” Kiibo rambled, brushing his hair out of his face and turning seriously to the trickster, who huffed in response, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Kiibo had initially been waiting outside the cinema for Kokichi when he noticed his brother and his friend at the café across the road, which he had dismissed quickly enough. However, when Kokichi popped up and he pointed out Shuichi and Kaito, the thief had instantly dived straight into romance theories. Theories that made a lot of sense, when he thought about everything in hindsight.

“Look, Kiiboy, even if Shumai was secretly dating someone, I’m pretty sure you not being told would have a good reason behind it. I mean, you live together.” He flashed a sly grin. “There’s only so much you can hide from someone you live with.”

Kiibo was silent for a moment, surveying the tables before walking promptly over to take a seat at the closest one.

“...His name is Shuichi, not Shumai-”

“Whaaatever!’

Kokichi quickly rushed over to plop down on the seat Kiibo had pulled out for himself, shooting him the cheekiest grin as he pushed the chair opposite him out with his foot. “Well? Take a seat!”

Kiibo shook his head, before smiling lightly and sitting down in the offered chair, glancing over at where Shuichi and Kaito was seated. “Do you think they’ve noticed us?”

Kokichi shrugged, emphasising his own shifting as he made himself comfortable. “Does it matter if they notice us or not? It’s not like we’re being suspicious like camping out in a bush with some binoculars.” He paused, before snickering. “Aw man, we missed a golden opportunity to spy on them from the bushes with some binoculars!”

_

“Do you think he spotted us?” Shuichi murmured, hand resting over his mouth and an expression only tied to investigation on his face. As his gaze lingered on Kiibo’s date for a few moments longer, he couldn’t help but feel like he did recognise him from somewhere - he just couldn’t remember where. It was driving him up the wall.

(The only thing his brain supplied was the charming masked thief that had lies fall from his lips like water, the one tied to the case he was currently working on. But Kiibo had better judgement than that, right?)

Kaito glanced at him, lips quirked up into a lazy smile as he reached over to pat Shuichi’s shoulder, recognising tenseness in his muscles. “You worry too much, man! We have every right to be at this café at the same time as them, so I don’t think he’ll question it that much.” Lilac eyes drifted back over to the far table, and his smile bloomed. “Besides, they seem preoccupied at the moment.”

Shuichi turned his attention back to the date and, sure enough, Kiibo’s date was leaning casually against the table while Kiibo himself was sat near upright, with a gentle lean back into his chair. They seemed to be in the middle of an animated discussion, and while his brother was somewhat tense, Shuichi felt himself relax slowly.

“Love is in the air!” Kaito sang playfully, leaning closer to Shuichi until their cheeks were close to being pushed together. With a spark of light at his fingertip, the astronaut drew a heart around the couple with soft white light. A few moments later, it dissipated along with the remnants of Shuichi’s surface worries as he let out a quiet snort.

“That’s jumping to a conclusion.” He chided lightly, though he admittedly felt touched that Kaito had purposely tried to distract him from his anxieties. Kaito shrugged in response, humming as he furrowed his eyebrows.

“Maybe. Hey, don’t you think they should have gotten some drinks by now?” He slouched, watching the other two for a few more moments before digging around his pocket, pulling out his wallet as he nudged Shuichi goodnaturedly. “While we’re here, we may as well get somethin’. The usual for you?”

“Yes, please.” He smiled, before blinking and growing sheepish as he placed a hand on Kaito’s wrist, pushing his wallet down. “But I can pay for myself.”

“Nonsense! You paid last time we were here, so as the hero, I gotta repay the favour.” He tugged his hand away from Shuichi’s with a flourish, before pushing his chair back and hopping up. “I’ll be back in a second.” Kaito winked, and went into the building.

Shuichi let out a long sigh, shaking his head fondly.

_

Kokichi squinted one eye, chin propped up by his hand as he watched the heart glow in front of Kaito’s face for a brief moment. Then, with a cheeky grin, he leaned back in his seat, folding his arms behind his head. “Oh, they’re totally fucking.”

Kiibo’s face burst into flame as he spluttered for a few moments, turning to the other. “ _What_!”

“What? I’ve seen them together for five minutes and I can already feel the sexual tension in the air. Totally into each other.” He hummed, ignoring the way Kiibo buried his face into his hands in exasperation in favour of scrutinising the couple. He let out a long whistle. “Goatee’s paying? Not what I expected, but a nice surprise! He shouldn’t stress Mr Detective out.”

The trickster paused, before leaning forward with an impish grin, as if unable to sit still. “That’s my job.”

The other sighed heavily, rolling his eyes lightly with a faint smile. “It really isn’t.”

“Is too!”

Kiibo stole a glance towards his brother, catching his eye for a split second and recognising mild panic in Shuichi’s features before the detective simply disappeared, as if he had never been there in the first place. He pouted slightly, worried that he had ruined his date by making him too flustered when noticing he was here, turning his attention back to Kokichi as the thief let out a soft hiss.

“He can turn _invisible_?!”

Blue eyes blinked slowly for a few moments before answering, as if trying to comprehend an exceedingly simple question and looking for a trap within the sentence. “...Yes?”

“No wonder he just appears out of nowhere!” He huffed, crossing his arms and puffing his cheeks out childishly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Kiibo smiled, reaching out to gently poke at a puffed cheek before Kokichi stuck his tongue out at him playfully, causing the cheeks to deflate. “Because I may be your friend, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to sabotage Shuichi’s work.” A brief pause. “That, and you never asked.”

He pouted in response, tearing up. “Boo you, why are you making my job harder? You’re so mean, Kiibo!” He made a dramatic show of wiping away his crocodile tears. “You can apologise with a cup of tea. If not, I’ll cry!”

The other shook his head, though reached into his pocket for his wallet nonetheless, pushing instinctive guilt down while consciously reminding himself that Kokichi was faking it, as usual. “Just tea?” He checked as he stood up, watching Kaito step out with a smoothie in one hand and a coffee in the other.

Kokichi hummed, kicking his legs under the table, before replying. “Cake?”

“Chocolate?”

“Obviously!” He grinned, waving his hand in a shooing motion. “Now go, go!”

“I’m going, I’m going.” Kiibo humoured, hurrying to the café to avoid Kokichi growing impatient and risking him causing a scene regarding Kaito and Shuichi.

_

Kaito set down the coffee in front of an empty seat, smiling slightly. He sat back down, sipping his own drink and letting the taste of berries explode on his tongue as he leaned back. “You there, man?”

A few seconds passed before Shuichi returned to visibility, looking sheepish with an embarrassed rosiness to his cheeks. “Sorry. Didn't realise I was doing that.” He mumbled, reaching for his coffee and pulling it closer. It always bothered him, the fact that he wasn’t able to always consciously control his invisibility.

“Hey, no worries.” The other was quick to reassure him, patting his shoulder. “Any ideas on what set you off this time?”

The detective’s eyes flickered towards his brother, through the windows of the café building. “Kiibo saw me watching. It was probably a knee jerk reaction.”

Kaito nodded in understanding, before his grin grew a teasing edge. “Any development between the lovebirds while I was gone?”

“Please, you were gone for three minutes.” Shuichi retorted with a small scoff, lips tilting upwards. His eyes grew distant as his attention returned to Kiibo’s date, analysing the way he picked at his nails in boredom.

(He was sure he recognised him from somewhere, but he couldn’t be-)

“They seem really comfortable with each other, though.” He settled for that as an answer, turning back to Kaito in a way that suggested he had momentarily forgotten about the conversation. “Just by how informal Kiibo’s acting, it’s obvious this isn’t blind date situation.” Not that he had ever expected it to be - he never saw his brother to be the type of person to test the waters like that.

“As expected, then.” His friend echoed his thoughts, stabbing at the slush of his smoothie with his straw for no other reason than distraction. “And he’s paying too, which isn’t surprising.”

Shuichi nodded with an air of agreement, bringing his cup to his lips and testing the temperature with a tentative sip. Content with the result, he focused on the familiar bitterness as he watched Kiibo return to his table with a tray carrying a teapot, two cups and two slices of cake.

(Chocolate, he absentmindedly noted. Interesting - Kiibo was usually fond of walnut instead.)

His date seemed to light up as Kiibo returned to his seat, leaning up and reaching for the pot. He rest his hands against the handle and the lid, before leaning further forward to press a kiss to Kiibo’s cheek. It was a exaggerated gesture; he could practically hear the ‘mwah!’ tacked onto the end of the action. Shuichi let out a breathy chuckle into his coffee as he watched his brother’s face darken. If he wasn’t pretending not to be watching, he would have absolutely taken the chance to gently tease the other into oblivion.

Kaito seemed to find equal amounts of amusement in the gesture, humming as he wrapped an arm around Shuichi’s shoulders, leaning heavily into him as he set his smoothie down. “Hey, my place is open if you need a place to crash tonight. Y’know-” He raised an eyebrow at the duo, nearly causing the shorter of the two to choke on his coffee. After stealing a moment to recover, he shot the other a glare. Kaito only responded with a lazy shrug. “I’m just saying, man. They’re getting along really well, who knows what’ll happen?”

His voice lowered slightly, and he looked a bit sheepish as he averted his gaze. “B’sides, it’s been ages since you’ve stayed overnight. We could order some pizza, play some games. And you haven’t even checked out my new telescope yet!” His expression shifted, excitement swiftly overtaking his features. “What do you say, sidekick?”

Shuichi took a moment to process the proposal, before smiling in return. “Oh yeah, yeah, of course! Sounds fun, dude.”

(It wasn’t because he couldn’t say no after seeing the way those lilac eyes shone with hope. It wasn’t. And what if his cheeks were tinted pink? Nobody would pick up on it.)

_

Kiibo picked up on it instantly. He smirked behind his tea, which drew Kokichi’s attention, made evident by his pause in his devouring of his cake.

“What’s gotten you all smug, Kiibot?” He raised an eyebrow, popping a piece of cake into his mouth before waving the fork around as he pointed it at his companion. “Is it Mr Detective?” His eyes snapped over to Shuichi in an instant, eager for blackmail material.

( _Affectionate_ blackmail material.)

Kiibo set his cup down, half empty as he stretched his legs under the table. “He’s blushing.” He said simply, which was already enough to tempt a snicker out of Kokichi.

“Oh my God, he is!” The thief whispered hurriedly, after analysing Shuichi’s face for several seconds longer than necessary. He sounded elated as he turned to Kiibo. “Geez, you must have some crazy good blackmail material on him, being his brother and all. What’ll it take for you to spill?”

At this point, these kind of questions were ordinary. They both knew he wouldn’t share that easily, but he had nothing against playing along anymore. “I’m not sure. It depends what you plan on doing with that information.”

Kokichi leaned forward, eyes darkening, but with a lack of any real ill intent. Something in his demeanor radiated jest. “Oh, I plan on doing so much. Do you want the summary or the full list?”

_

“They’re all idiots.”

Three ladies sat inside the café, watching the two oblivious couples with a plate of cookies between them and a drink each. The girl who spoke didn’t outwardly appear like she wanted to be there, but there was a curve of mirth in her shadow of a smile. Maki was as eager as the other two to see how the two couples developed.

“You could say that again!” Miu scoffed, snagging a cookie from the plate and shifting in her seat impatiently. “You’d think at least someone would think to grow a pair and hurry shit along.”

Kaede sighed, shaking her head as she drank her tea. “I don’t think that’s going to happen. I swear, they’re all either oblivious or in denial. It’s so obvious that they like each other!” She paused to, once again, look between the two couples before adjusting her attention to the other occupants of her table. “So, girls, I think it goes without saying that we’re going to be in for a long ride.”

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone: Shuichi with Naegiri parents  
> Me, known for horrible ideas: Shuichi and Kiibo as brothers,,,with Naegiri parents
> 
> I had this sitting unfinished in my wips for m onths so I decided to wrap it up. The AU itself is pretty much based around the idea that everyone has two powers at birth, so naturally, I’ve unoriginally dubbed it the Power AU. It’s also a big excuse for me to write familial Saiibo because I love them a lot,,
> 
> My tumblr is @lavendrrabbitholes, for anyone who wants to talk to me!


End file.
